I was House Manager for “Dames at Sea,” produced by Chuck Barris, at the Ivar, 1970. Shortly before or after “Victory Canteen,” there was a successful stage production of “The Boys in the Band,” at the Ivar. At the time, the theatre was surrounded by bars favored by homosexual hustlers.

My friend Rowby and I appeared at the Ivar Theater in two children’s shows. It was in the early sixties. We were still in high school and took the bus to the theater. We performed every week-end for a crazy couple who were the producers…Roma and Rick. My favorite was “Hansel and Gretel” which Rowby and I still laugh about today. “Under the Yum Yum Tree” with Bill Bixby was playing at night while we were the afternoon children’s theater. I still have photos….I loved the Ivar.

I’m and independent filmmaker working on a documentary about old movie theatres in hollywood (Iris, Warner, Pacific, Hollywood, Vogue, Grauman’s Chinese, Egyptian etc..) that have had an impact on the hollywood community, both as a symbol of Hollywood as well as the historical and heritage effects it has had on “hollywood” as an industry. We are profiling theatres that are currently functioning as well as the obsolete. If you worked in these theatres back in the day (during their highlights) and have interesting stories to tell, photos to show, video to talk about I would like to hear from you. Many older movie houses are being demolished due to new developments and it is important to help future generation know and understand how these movie palaces have helped shaped the Hollywood we know today. If you have any photos or videos with personal stories you’d like to share, please contact me (323) 876-0975 – – You must owns the materials you are willing to share (taken the picture- recorded the videos, written the letters, etc…)

If you do have materials you’d like to send that may help in accurate information, you are welcome to send it to me.

The Ivar did show at least one movie before 1971, when it began running adult films. In March, 1967, the Ivar began the exclusive Los Angeles run of Arch Oboler’s 3-D science fiction movie, “The Bubble.”